Breech mechanism for air guns



June 17, 1952 A. LAWRENCE 2,601,033

BREECH MECHANISM FOR AIR GUNS Original Filed Feb. 28, 1946 INVENTOR.ANDREW LAWRENCE Patented June 17, 1952 BREECH MECHANISM FOR AIR GUNSAndrew Lawrence, New York, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Stephen E.Laszlo, New York, N. Y.

Original application February 28, 1946, Serial No.

650,771. Divided and this application September 8, 1949, Serial No.114,593

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to breech mechanism for pneumatic guns andprovides a simple and effective means for opening and closing the breechof air guns and the like.

The present application is a division of application Serial No. 650,771,now Patent No. 2,525,689, filed February 28, 1946.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. The invention may be embodied in other constructions ofpneumatic guns than that specifically illustrated and described herein.

In said drawings,

Figure 1 is a View of a pneumatic gun, embodying the present invention,partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, showing theparts in loadin position.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the breech mechanism shown inFigure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the breech end of Figure 1.

Referring to said drawings, numeral l2 designates a frame, which isprovided with a stock or hand-grip l6, and associated with a barrelpivoted to the frame.

Numeral 22 designates a pneumatic cylinder in which air is compressed.In the construction shown, the pneumatic cylinder 22 is pivoted to theframe as indicated at l4, and within the pneumatic cylinder is a piston26 against which acts a spring 32, which, when released after beingcompressed, causes the piston 26 to compress air in the rear part ofpneumatic cylinder 22.

Numeral 24 designates a barrel tube which is suitably arranged at itsrear to communicate with the pneumatic cylinder 22. In the particulararrangement shown, the barrel tube is arranged concentrically ofcylinder 22, and passes through piston 26 and spring 32.

At the rear of the pneumatic cylinder is a breech-piece 38. Threaded onbreech-piece 38 is a breech cap 43, havin a hole 42 therein concentricwith the bore in the barrel 24, through which hole bullets or pelletsare placed in the bore of said barrel. Pivoted to one of said breechparts, 38 or 40, as indicated at 43, is a breech-block 45, which bearson the breech-piece 38 in its closed position. The breech-piece 38 may,however, be provided with a packing annulus 48 against which thebreech-block 45 directly bears.

Breech block 45 has an opening 41 which registers in its open positionwith the bore in barrel 24, and also with the hole 42 in cap 40.

A connection is provided for entraining the breech-block 45 with therotation of cap 40, so

2 that the breech-block is moved by the cap to a position to open orclose the breech piece to the outside. Such a connection isadvantageously provided by a coil of a spring 52, attached at one end tothe breech-block and at its free convolution bearing frictionallyagainst the inside of cap 40. Turning of cap 40 simultaneously turns thebreech-block on its pivot 43 to close the breechpiece by moving opening41 out of register with the bore of barrel 24 and pressing thebreechblock against the breech-piece 38; by reversing the operation justdescribed the breech is opened.

Operation To insert a bullet into the breech, the cap 4|] is turned,causing the breech-block 45 to be turned on its pivot 43 by the drag ofsprin coil 52 on the cap, and the hole 41 in the breech-block is thusbrought into register with the bore of barrel 24. A bullet is theninserted through the hole 41 into the bore of barrel 24, and the cap 4!]turned in reverse direction to turn the breech-block 45 on its pivot toclosing position. This carries the hole 41 out of register with the boreof barrel 24. Simultaneously with the turning of the breechblock, thecap 40 acts to press the breech-block against the breech-piece 38 (orthe packing annulus 46 thereon) and thus close the breech. This pistolis now in condition for a second shot.

The invention is applicable to air-rifles, and the word pistols in thespecification and claims is not to be understood as excludingair-rifles.

What is claimed is:

1. A pneumatic pistol comprising a barrel, a pneumatic cylinder and aspring pressed trigger controlled piston therein, the rear end of saidbarrel being in communication with said cylinder and receivingcompressed air therefrom, a breech-piece at the rear of said barrelhaving a breech opening therein through which bullets may be passed intothe rear end of said barrel, a cap on said breech-piece, interconnectingthreads between said cap and breech-piece, an opening in the rear ofsaid cap in line with the opening in said breech-piece and the rear endof said barrel, through which bullets may be passed, a breech blockpivoted on said breech piece and located within said cap at the rear ofsaid breechpiece, and a connecting part on said breech-block makingcontact with said cap, said cap, when manually turned, acting throughsaid connecting part to turn said breech-block on its pivot to and froma position closing the bullet loading opening in said breech-piece, thedirection of said threads and the direction of turning of said cap beingrelated to simultaneously move said breechblock to breech-closingposition and to move said cap against said breech-block and thebreech-block against said breech-piece to tightly close thebullet-loading opening in said breechpiece against the escape ofcompressed air.

2. A pneumatic pistol, according to claim 1, whereinsaid connectingparhbetween said-= pap and breech-block is a spring attached to saidbreech-block and frictionally engaging said ,oap,

entraining the movement of said breech-block with the movement of saidcap.

ANDREW LAWRENCE.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

